How To Dispose Of Swollen Iphone Battery

Is the screen on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch popping out? Is the trackpad or another part of your MacBook case expanding? Follow along for how to handle an Apple device with a swollen battery.

As mentioned above, the most common signs of a swollen battery include your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch screen popping out. On a MacBook, you'll usually notice the swollen battery pressing up on the trackpad and surrounding bottom casing.

A swollen battery can present a fire safety risk, so it's important to take caution with any device that has an expanded battery. It's also important to note that swollen batteries can't be fixed or healed, just recycled and replaced.

How to handle an iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch with a swollen battery

Don't press on the swollen battery (or screen or casing that's popping up)
Stop charging the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or other device that has a swollen battery
Power down your device
Take it to your local Apple Store or nearest AASP (all Best Buy locations are AASPs) for replacement or proper recycling (appointments for the Genius Bar are a good idea if possible)

iFixit has a great explainer on what happens when a battery becomes swollen, and how to take better care of your devices' batteries to help prevent swelling.

For more help with getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how-to guide as well as the following articles:

iOS 13: How to add Dark Mode shortcut to Control Center on iPhone and iPad
How to turn off Facebook's face recognition
How to check if your Apple Watch is eligible for a free screen replacement
How to find a lost iPhone, iPad or Mac – even if it's offline
How to downgrade from the iOS 13.1 beta
How to remove a broken headphone plug from your iPhone
How to read SD and microSD memory cards on iPhone and iPad
How to extend Apple Watch battery life while traveling
How to conserve your cellular data use on iPhone and iPad
Apple Card: How to opt out of the arbitration agreement
How to add an Infrared remote-controlled accessory to your HomeKit smart home

Top image via The Verge

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Michael Potuck

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Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.

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